The present invention relates to a gas-and-liquid phase separating system. More particularly, it deals with a multi-stage system that safely separates potentially combustible and/or explosive gaseous mixtures from aqueous solutions.
The present invention may be utilized where two or more gases, that could combustibly or explosively react and which are soluble in an aqueous medium, are generated. For example, the presence of more than 4% O.sub.2 concentrations in H.sub.2 or more than 6% H.sub.2 concentrations in O.sub.2 result in gaseous mixtures with high combustive and/or explosive potentials.
Gas-and-liquid phase separators, which employ a plurality of stages for separating various mixtures, are well known in the art. Yet, none to date have addressed the problem of separating potentially combustible and/or explosive gaseous mixtures from aqueous solutions.
Rotary gas/water phase separators have been used in the past for removing a small amount of liquid from a gas stream. The rotary-type separator requires externally supplied energy to spin a drum and a pitot tube pickup to remove the effluent water. However, the high liquid volume that is present in many applications presents an efficiency constraint to the rotary-type separator. In addition, the mechanical wear, physical size and sound level of this device makes it less than completely desirable even for moderate to small liquid-volume applications.
Centrifugal separators are well known in the art and are effective when large volumes of solution are introduced, traveling at relatively high velocities. They have been employed as primary separators and in combination with other separation technologies. But, they too do not address the problem of separating potentially combustible and/or explosive gaseous mixtures from aqueous solutions.
The present invention teaches that the use of an effective amount of an ionized and conductive aqueous solution as a gaseous diluent or liquid phase carryover in a multi-stage separating system substantially eliminates the potential for electrostatic ignition of combustible and/or explosive gaseous mixtures. The conductive properties of aqueous solutions, i.e. seawater, will prevent the buildup of electrostatic charges thereby eliminating a major cause of combustive and/or explosive conditions.
Accordingly, it is the primary object of the present invention to provide a method for the safe separation of potentially combustible and/or explosive gaseous mixtures from aqueous solutions.
It is another object to use the concept of a liquid phase carryover to insure that a safe mixture is maintained by taking advantage of the quenching properties of the liquid phase to reduce the propagation of a combustive and/or explosive reaction.
It is still another object to provide pressure reduction of the gas/liquid mixture followed by gas/liquid phase separation in the presence of a diluent gas flow, which serves to dilute the concentration of the gaseous components to below their respective combustive/explosive concentration limits.
It is a further object to provide a unique separating apparatus which carries out the aforementioned method.
The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent when the following descriptions are read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.